Retired Walgreens Senior Vice President Randy Lewis and his son, Austin. Lewis is the author of the new book, “No Greatness without Goodness: How a Father’s Love Changed a Company and Sparked a Movement.”

The book isn’t only exceptional reading for business leaders who want their companies to become more efficient and profitable, but it also provides nuggets of wisdom and real life lessons for people who have the desire to build stronger and more meaningful relationships with those around them: friends, neighbours and co-workers.

During a speech in front of 5,000 Walgreen’s store managers at a conference in Las Vegas, he shared that “nearly 70 percent of individuals with disabilities and 95 percent of people with severe cognitive disabilities, like his son Austin, would never hold down a job.” This is not because people with disabilities cannot do the work, it’s because many employers fail to realize that hiring people with disabilities will actually increase the overall performance among all of their employees.

In the book, Lewis details how, with the inspiration from Austin, and the encouragement of his wife and strong support from the team at Walgreens, the company’s distribution centres not only met their first hiring goal of having 10 percent of its workforce being people with disabilities by 2011 — with some centres having 40 to 50 percent of their employees being those with disabilities — but they also witnessed increased productivity at the distribution centres that had hired people with disabilities.

Lewis also highlights in his book that there any many types of disabilities, especially in regard to employment, but what people need to keep in mind, be it at work or in public, is that people are people, regardless of whether their disability is visible to the world or not. “When hiring people with disabilities people ask me: what kind of disabilities can you hire? Or what kind of disabilities can you not employ? That’s always a common question.” Lewis said that what he and others discovered is that every disability is a spectrum. “We haven’t found a disability we can’t employ; we just can’t employ everybody on the entire spectrum. Just like with people ‘without disabilities,’ we can’t employ everybody on the spectrum of the typically able,” he noted. “I think the biggest thing that people overlook is that they’re people. They see their disability, they’re afraid about making a mistake; they’re afraid about using the right words. They feel uncomfortable and they fail to see the person,” he shared. “By the way, if you make a mistake with the right intent, with love, it doesn’t matter, people see that. They see the intent.” “Leaders need to love. If they don’t love, then they’ll never gain the trust. Here’s the deal: worthiness. Worthiness — that’s what Austin taught me; that everyone is worthy,” Lewis emphasized

Lewis reminds us not to forget this important truth. “Work is what sustains us and love fulfills us“.

“So if the book helps to remind somebody that, oh by the way, I’m infinitely important in this universe. And, by the way, so is everybody else. Then my job is done,” Lewis said.

“Use every opportunity to help others see meaning in their work. They will be transformed from brick layers to cathedral builders”.

“An important lesson for employers is TLC, T is for teach, L is for love and C is for challenge. If you only remember one of the three, remember love.” said Lewis. He also adamantly believes that there’s a longing inside people to make a difference in the world, because everyone has value. We are worthy, that’s the good news of faith. I’m part of something bigger and I’m loved and I’m worthy,” he explained. “I’m one person and everybody’s an infinitely important and worthy person too.” Recognizing that people have intrinsic value to God and his Christian faith are two things that Lewis is not afraid to share, because it has provided strength for his family, and enabled him to impact the world by helping employers see that people with disabilities, once given the opportunity, can become valuable employees. “God has gotten a lot bigger as I’ve gotten older. Fear has kept me quiet in the past when I should have spoken up. It has kept me still when I should I should have acted. “There were times when I was afraid, and that’s when faith came in, and knowing that I was not alone,” he said. “Throughout this process, I was not alone.” Lewis noted that some people believe that what’s been achieved at Walgreens was a monumental and difficult task, but he said that not taking action, when he could have, bothered him much more than any potential failure.. Lewis also highlights in his book that there any many types of disabilities, especially in regard to employment, but what people need to keep in mind, be it at work or in public, is that people are people, regardless of whether their disability is visible to the world or not.

The purpose for your business also needs to be crystal clear. Successful Holy Spirit led entrepreneurs know why they are in business. In fact they started the business to fulfill God’s call on their lives. The product/service must have a competitive advantage which gives you a story to tell.

2. STORY
JESUS had the GOSPEL.

What is your good news story. You need to have a compelling message which is the foundation of your brand and marketing efforts.

3. POSITIONING
Jesus had ALL of mankind as His target market however His strategy was to start with twelve and then go out to reach His market – the lost.

All of mankind is not the target market for most businesses. You need to know your target market. The customers that can benefit from your product or service. Positioning is about identifying your target market and then going to them with your message.

4. DISCIPLESHIP
Jesus knew He needed His disciples to carry on after He left this earth but when He left, the Father sent the Holy Spirit to empower them to do the job Jesus enlisted them to do.

Likewise you need to gather a team of Holy Spirit filled people who share your vision. Great businesses are the result of a group of individuals with different talents/skills who are working together with the same vision and purpose in view. What you build should outlive you.

5. INNOVATION
JESUS validated His message with signs and wonders. He proved All mankind needed what He had to offer – Eternal Life.

Likewise Holy Spirit led entrepreneurs will make things happen. Remember Jesus said “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes on Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14: 12-13. Jesus will provide for the business He inspired in amazing ways.

My book “Build a Kingdom Business” provides evidence of a number of amazing miracles in the life of the Kingdom business I managed for thirty years.

6. PROFITABILITY
JESUS business was saving lives so profitability for JESUS could be measured in the number of lives saved. Now we know that ALL predestined by GOD will be saved so in that sense He will be 100% successful but sadly not ALL will be saved.

As a Holy Spirit empowered entrepreneur , part of building a business that matters is being profitable and inevitably the more your business matters the more profitable it will become. Businesses that matter generate profit in kind and cash. Profit in kind is the good the product/service you offer makes in peoples lives. Profit in cash is generated from the sale of the product/service to those people. The origin of the profit in both cases is value. It’s the good in your product/service that attracts people to pay you money in exchange for it

7. LEGACY
What will you be remembered for?

Need I say it, JESUS legacy lives on. He needed to give His life for His purpose.
What will be the legacy of your business. Will it achieve God’s purpose for it?